The Draughon Center invites creative writers to apply for the Creative Writing Residency at Pebble Hill. The residency supports writers working in fiction or creative nonfiction who seek solitude and dedicated time in an inspiring space to explore new ideas or bring a long-term project closer to completion.
Apply for the 2027 Residency!
The Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities in the College of Liberal Arts at Auburn University invites creative writers to apply for the May 17-28, 2027 Creative Writing Residency at Pebble Hill in Auburn, Alabama. The residency supports writers working in fiction or creative nonfiction who seek solitude and dedicated time in an inspiring space to explore new ideas or bring a long-term project closer to completion.
Deadline to Apply: September 30, 2026, 11:59 p.m.
The two-week residency will provide: Complimentary lodging in the Lowrey Guest House at Pebble Hill and a $2,000 stipend paid through Auburn University following completion of the residency.
The resident will be responsible for: Transportation to and from Auburn, as well as local transportation while in residence; food and other living expenses while in residence; and one public presentation or conversation about their project at the Draughon Center.This opportunity is made possible by the generous support of Auburn University alumna and New York Times bestselling author Patti Callahan Henry ’86.
2026 Recipient • Caleb Johnson
Caleb Johnson is the author of the novels Telegraph Road (Hub City Press, Fall 2027) and Treeborne (Picador), which received an honorable mention for the Southern Book Prize and was longlisted for The Crook’s Corner Book Prize. He has been featured on the Emmy Award-winning television show TrueSouth. His nonfiction has been cited in The Best American Essays, and appears widely in newspapers and magazines. Caleb grew up in Arley, AL, studied journalism at The University of Alabama, and earned an MFA in creative writing from the University of Wyoming. He has received fellowships from The Jentel Foundation, the Longleaf Writers Conference, and the Sewanee Writers’ Conference. His previous jobs include newspaper reporter, janitor, middle-school teacher, and whole-animal butcher. Currently, Caleb teaches creative writing at Appalachian State University and lives in Boone, NC with his family.